The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is in Japan talking up Star Wars, and at a press conference he said the movie is all but finished, with “only a few days left of work.” He also announced that Joseph Gordon-Levitt has a voice cameo as an alien.
Vulture reports on why Colin Trevorrow left Episode IX – per “speculation from a ranking Hollywood movie insider with direct knowledge of the productions on both The Book of Henry and Jurassic World” – that the director’s ego might have gotten in the way. Basically – do not mess with Kathleen Kennedy.
“When the reviews for Book of Henry came out, there was immediately conjecture that Kathy was going to dump him because they weren’t thrilled with working with him anyway,” the executive continues. “He’s a difficult guy. He’s really, really, really confident. Let’s call it that.”
Previous reports claimed script issues were at the source of the split.
Variety reports that Brit Jack Thorne (Wonder) has been brought onto the Colin Trevorrow-directed production.
Trevorrow and his writing partner Derek Connolly wrote the most recent version of the script, which had to be reworked after the passing of Carrie Fisher.
In rumor/spoiler territory, we have some new First Order-centric leaks this afternoon, courtesy of the Facebook group Templo Jedi Aztlan. There’s some sort of guard, a new stormtrooper look, and a new AT-AT. The first seems similar to the new figures reported by Making Star Wars, who debuted a sketch of one earlier this week. (via)
→ In the midst of some overplayed panic about the sequel trilogy not being ‘planned,’ Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow has a few words about collaboration with Screenrant.
Colin Trevorrow talks to Cinemablend about how they’ll be handling Carrie Fisher’s death in Episode IX:
She was a major character, that’s not a secret. She really was. And it was extremely sad for all of us, mostly just because she was so loved by the Star Wars family and everyone that worked with her. I feel like our options are limited mostly by ourselves, in that there is only certain things that we are willing to do. But I can guarantee it will be handled with love and respect, and all of the soul that Carrie Fisher deserves.
It’s a tough decision all-around, but let’s not forget the human element is important here. Yes, it’s easy to say they “should” do certain things for whatever reason, but these are also actual people we’re talking about who have to make this film. Like many fans, I’m a little wary of Trevorrow and his ability to handle this, but at least he seems to understand how important this is.
The Star Wars franchise’s return to May is complete: Episode IX has been officially scheduled for May 24, 2019, per StarWars.com. The fifth Indiana Jones film also got moved back to July 10, 2020.
The Han Solo film will be the first to return to spring on May 25, 2018.
The first two trilogies all had May release dates; The Force Awakens was the first Star Wars film to debut in December.
Carrie Fisher may appear in Episode IX after all. Todd Fisher tells the New York Daily News that he and Carrie’s daughter Billie Lourd have given Lucasfilm permission to use “recent footage” of her for the trilogy’s finale:
“Both of us were like, ‘Yes, how do you take her out of it?’ And the answer is you don’t,” said Fisher, as he attended the opening night gala of the TCM Film Festival in Los Angeles, celebrating “In the Heat of the Night.”
“She’s as much a part of it as anything and I think her presence now is even more powerful than it was, like Obi Wan — when the saber cuts him down he becomes more powerful. I feel like that’s what’s happened with Carrie. I think the legacy should continue.”
